Great Job!

I'm still here getting my fingers inky every now and then.  I made several cards over the last few months but haven't gotten around to posting them. I hope to upload them within the coming weeks. 

This card I made for a co-worker who was recognized by management for doing an amazing job and excellent team work. For the occasion I'm using an old SU set, Happy Hour.  I created the background by stamping the glasses with silver pigment ink then heat embossed them with silver EP.  I did the same with the sentiment and the accent glass. The accent glass was cut out with my Scan n Cut because I hate fussy cutting. The colors I chose are appropriate for a masculine card.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Happy Hour
Paper:  All SU
Ink: Encore Silver
Accessories:  Silver EP, Heat Tool, Brother Scan n Cut, Stick on Pearl

Simple Thanks

This a quick and simple card I created.  It is so quick and simple to make that it only took 5 minutes to make.  It is all done with embossing and no stamping.  The design makes this thank you card appropriate for a male or female.  I will be making more of these in different colors to build up my stash of thank you cards.

Stamps:  None
Paper:  WW, Bordering Blue
Ink:  None
Accessories:  Embossing Folder, Embosslits, Nuvo Jewel Drops

Congratulatte to the Grad!

This quick card was made for a friend who just graduated with his Masters in Education.  He is also a coffee addict like myself so I took the opportunity to use one of my favorite coffee stamps.  The sleeve of the coffee cup was paper-pieced using old SU DP.  I used a scrap of coordinating DP on the left edge of the card and some sparkle with gold sequins.

Recipe:

Stamps: Perfect Blend, Espressoly for You - SU

Paper:  WW, DP

Ink:  Bermuda Bay

Accessories:  Sequins

A CASE for Birthdays

As I am building up my stash of birthday cards I went to Pinterest for inspiration.  There I found this cute birthday card.  I love the simple and clean design that prompts me to use the scraps of designer paper that is overcrowding my craft room.  The flame is created by using the wing from SU's bird builder punch then sponging More Mustard ink over it.  I dusted off my Crop-a-dile and some eyelets to some decoration to the sentiment.  The colors and design are even appropriate for a masculine birthday.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Bring on the Cake - SU
Paper:  Old Olive, So Saffron, WW, DP
Ink:  More Mustard, Tangerine Tango
Accessories:  Bird Builder Punch, Crop-a-dile, Small Circle Punch, Eyelets, Sponge

Sweepie is 10!

Sweepie, my little niece whom I often write about, had her 10th birthday yesterday!  She has gone from a cute and precious little baby to the beautiful, kind, and very intelligent young lady that I am so proud to call my niece.  We had a nice bowling party for her with many of her friends and some of her classmates.  

Sweepie has had an interest in building things from boxes since she was very little.  Since seeing the movie Hidden Figures a couple of months ago, she now has a passion to become an engineer when she grows up.  She has asked for motorized Legos and Kinex kits for her birthday.  I think she ended up with over a dozen sets!  I can't wait to see all of the amazing things she will create with her birthday gifts.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Number of Years, Party This Way - SU

Paper:  Pear Pizzazz, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pool Party, DP

Ink:  Pool Party, WW Craft

Accessories:  Framelits, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Stick on Gems, Nestabilities

Close as a Memory

Sympathy cards are my least enjoyable cards to make because it means that someone I know is grieving the lost of a loved one.  Death is something that happens to everyone as Psalm 89:48 says,
"What man can live and not see death?  Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?"
Therefore there will always be a need for sympathy cards.  They are one way to show care to someone who is grieving.  

I made several of these cards to keep on hand as the need arises.  I CASEd the design from this card I found on Pinterest.  It is a simple and beautiful design.  My card is different in that I used slightly different colors, used Dew Drops for the flower centers, and chose butterflies for the embossed background. 

When I see a butterfly I am reminded of what the Bible says about death for those of us who believe in salvation through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.  I love what Romans 6:5-10 says about death for those whose faith is in Jesus Christ,
"5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God."

A loose correlation is like a caterpillar becoming a brand new butterfly by metamorphosis, believers in Christ are transformed from old the rotting mortal bodies to glorified eternal bodies living in heaven because of the work of Christ.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Close as a Memory - SU
Paper:  WW, Perfect Plumb, Mellow Moss
Ink:  Perfect Plumb, Mellow Moss, Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Embossing Folder, MISTI, Dew Drops

There's Always Time for Tea

It seems weird for coffee freak like myself to create a tea-themed card.  While coffee is my number 1 choice of starter fluid in the morning, I do enjoy a hot cup of tea in the evening.  After all, coffee and tea are caffeinated cousins and can be enjoyed together.

The idea for this card is from the sketch challenge at the Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog.  All caffeinated drink themed creations are welcome.  I added a little sparkle to this card by spraying the embossed layer with Glimmer Mist and went over the words in the cup with a Gelly Roll pen.  I coated the tea tag with Wink of Stella.  Unfortunately the sparkle touches do not show up well in the photo.

Recipe:

Stamps:  A Nice Cuppa - SU

Paper:  Bermuda Bay, WW, DP

Ink:  Bermuda Bay

Accessories:  Embossing Folder, Wink of Stella, Gelly Roll Pen, Glimmer Mist, Bakers Twine, Stick on Pearl

Masculine Basic Sympathy

Sympathy cards are my least favorite to make because they represent loss of somebody's loved one.  This card is for a co-worker who recently lost his mother.  I needed to create a card with a masculine but soothing design so I turned to Splitcoast Stampers for inspiration.  This card immediately caught my eye and I knew that it would be perfect to CASE for this occasion.  

I used the same stamp and design as the original card but different shades of green.  The stamped image is created using the reverse image technique that you can learn about here.  It was easy to do and I love how the card came out.  I will be sure to use this technique for future cards.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Butterfly Basics, Beautiful Borders - SU

Paper:  WW, River Rock, Lucky Limeaide, Mossy Meadow, DP

Ink:  River Rock, Lucky Limeaide, Mossy Meadow

Accessories:  Twine, Word Window Punch, Brads, SU Markers

Last of the Blizzard of 2016

In the past few days the temperatures here have been above freezing, even a couple of times in the high 50's.  The great amount of snow that was rapidly dumped on us over a week ago is melting into large puddles and streams.  I think this week should be titled "The Great Thaw of 2016".

This is the last card that I made during the Blizzard of 2016.  I CASE'd it from this card.  It was nice having an extended weekend with no where to go and nothing to do except drink coffee, watch Netflix, and make cards.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Scentsational Season, Beautiful Borders, Snowflake Soiree
Paper:  WW, Crumb Cake, Marina Mist, DP
Ink:  Rose Red, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso Craft, WW Craft
Accessories:  Framelit Dies, Stick on Gems, Corner Rounder Punch, Heat Tool

Blizzard Snow

This card is similar to my previous card Brrr!  I used the same Snowflake card Thinlet die but used a different embossing folder and accent colors.

Recipe:
Stamps:  None
Paper:  WW, Soft Sky
Ink:  Soft Sky
Accessories:  Snowflake card Thinlet die, Shimmer Spray, Embossing Folder, Stick on Gem

A Hug in a Mug

My area got about 3 feet of snow this weekend during the Blizzard of 2016.  I spent a little more than 3 hours shoveling today.  When I came in I made myself a hot cup of coffee poured over a chocolate truffle for a mocha-licious treat.  Tomorrow is another snow day off from work, and I will probably spend it resting sore muscles.

This is one of the cards I made during the blizzard.  It is a CASE of this card that I found on Pinterest; it symbolizes all of the hot drinks many of us have enjoyed this weekend.  For my version of the card I added sequin accents, used DP for the mittens and sprayed the background with Shimmer Spritz for a frost effect.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Scentsational Season - SU
Paper:  WW, DP
Ink:  Bermuda Bay, Smokey Slate
Accessories:  Embossing Folder, Mitten Punch, Framelits, Frost Shimmer Spritz, Sequins

So Much Snow!

My area is getting hit with the blizzard and I am completely snowed in.  At the rate at which the snow is falling and blowing, I may be stuck inside until Monday or Tuesday.  I'm not complaining though.  I lots of time to play in my craft room.

This is one of several cards I have made so far today.  I applied Marina Mist ink to the embossing folder then ran the cardstock in it through my Bigshot.  I like how the ink is not even because it gives the effect of blowing snow, like the blizzard going on outside.

I made several cards today and will continue to make more until I get dug out.  So there will be a lot more post coming over the next week.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Snow Place
Paper:  WW, Marina Mist
Ink:  Marina Mist, Memento Tuxedo Black, Bermuda Bay
Accessories:  Embossing Folder, Framlits die, Thinlet die, SU Markers, Glimmer Mist

Work Baby Shower

Last week we had a baby shower at work for 2 ladies who are both due soon.  This card is for one of the ladies who shared that she is having a girl.  The card I posted last week was for the other lady.

This quick and simple card uses new and old SU supplies.  The DP is from one of the very first packages I purchased from SU almost 9 years ago.  The embossing folders and stamps are more recent.  Like many crafters, I keep adding to new supplies my horde before I  use up the old.  However, I recently made a promise to myself not to buy any more DP until I used up the paper that I have had in my stash from 5 years or more.  

Recipe:

Stamps:  Something for Baby, Teeny Tiny Wishes - SU

Paper:  WW, Pretty In Pink, Wild Wasabi, DP

Ink:  Pretty In Pink, Tempting Turquoise

Accessories:  Flower Punch, Circle Punch, Embossing Folders, Stick on Gems

Delicate Butterfly Birthday

I finally got a chance to play with my SU Butterfly Thinlets.  I love the pretty delicate butterflies it makes.  For this card I cut two butterflies in two shades of pink and layered them.  The leafy die cut is from the Secret Garden Framelets.  I distressed the edges of the Mellow Moss layer and sponged the same color ink on the edges.  I sponged a little Pink Pirouette on the top layer; I love the look it gives.  I really intended to emboss only the top layer, but I forgot and attached it to the Mellow Moss layer.  I ended up running them together through the Big Shot, but still like the way it came out though.  It is hard to see in the photo but sprayed some Shimmer Mist on the top butterfly to give it a subtle sparkle.  Pearls were added as finishing touch.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Butterfly Basics, Express Yourself - SU
Paper:  VV, Cream Confetti, Mellow Moss, Pretty In Pink, Pink Pirouette, Always Artichoke
Ink:  Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Pink Pirouette
Accessories:  Secret Garden Framelits, Butterfly Thinlets, Shimmer Spritz, Embossing Folder, Stick on Pearls, Distressing Tool, Sponges

Flowers for You

I think of this card as kind of retro because I used are old supplies that I have had for a few years.  Stamp is from an older SU Sale-A-Bration set.  The papers and punches I have had for a while too.  The sketch is from MFTWSC 198 from almost a year ago.

I made this card to give to give with a surprise gift to a co-worker.  This co-worker is going through the hot sticky summer while pregnant and needed more comfortable scrubs.  Everyone in the office chipped in and got her a couple of new sets maternity scrubs.  It is a blessing to work in an office where we can express kindness towards each other.  It was a blessing for me making this card as it stirred up my creative mojo and I had a lot of fun.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Punch Bunch
Paper:  Crumbcake, Groovy Guava, Ruby Red,WW, DP
Ink:  Ruby Red
Accessories:  Scallop Punch, Small Flower Punch, Crop-a-dile, Brads, Paper Piercing tool

You're Too Kind

This is one of the cards that I made for my friends who helped me move.  I'm pretty much settled in now with just about all of the boxes unpacked.  My craft stuff is semi-organized in it's new home.  I keep moving things around a bit, but my room is pretty much set up now.

Every time I take a long pause in my card making, I feel rusty when getting back into it.  I guess my mojo needs warming.  This card is very simple, with just a touch of whimsy.  I look forward to making more cards, with more frequency, in my new space.

Recipe:
Stamps: Too Kind - SU
Ink:  Gumball Green, Strawberry Slush, Crisp Cantaloupe
Paper:  WW, Crisp Cantalope
Accessories:  Stick on Gems, Embossing Folder, Big Shot

Three Cheers for You

A friend of mine just finished grad school and this is card I made for her in celebration of her hard work.  I used beverage stamps and a sentiment from the new to me SU set Happy Hour.  I used Seize the Birthday Sketch #13 that I found on Pinterest.  The colors I chose myself from what have in my scrap folders.  This was a fun card to make using scraps from my horde of DP.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Happy Hour - SU

Paper:  VV, Old Olive, Peach Parfait, Regal Rose, DP - SU

Ink:  Old Olive, Regal Rose, Calypso Coral, Melon Mambo

Accessories:  Dies, Stick on Gems, Border Punch, SU Markers 

Happy Happy Scrap Birthday

Here is another quick birthday card made with designer paper scraps.  I changed things up a bit by making the middle more vibrant and colorful strip wider and layered it on top of the other strips.  I used my scallop border punch on the ends.

Recipe:
Stamps:  All Year Cheer 1 - SU
Paper:  WW, DP
Ink:  Early Espresso
Accessories:  Scallop Punch, Button

Bright Happy Birthday

My stash of birthday cards is running low so I decided to make some quick cards using designer paper scraps.  I trimmed the DP to 1-inch wide strips and varied the length.  I then cut then ends to make banners and flipped the edges a bit.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Hip Hip Hooray - SU
Paper:  WW, DP
Ink:  Wild Wasabi
Accessories:  Button, Twine

Welcome Savannah!

This card was made for a family at church that welcomed a new baby into their home.  I CASE'd it from this card I found on Pinterest.  I used the same stamp set, layout and banner idea but I changed the colors and used the onsie to spell out Savannah's name.  This was a cute and fun card to make.

Recipe:
Stamps: Little Additions, Designer Typeset - SU
Paper:  WW, Marina Mist, Basic Grey, Perfect Plum, Pink Pirouette,
Ink:  Pink Pirouette, Basic Grey, Marina Mist, Perfect Plum
Accessories:  Flower Brads, Small Scallop Punch, Buttons, Embossing Folder, Brad, Quilted Bow Applique, Smooch Ink